For years now, I’ve been really interested in trying MasterClass – and thanks to their generous buy-one-get-one-free Father’s Day sale, I’m finally trying it!
You’ve probably caught one of their ads at some point – since 2015, they’ve been streaming classes taught by over 100 experts across a range of topics. They currently have over 100 classes – everything from cooking by Gordon Ramsay, television writing by Shonda Rhimes, self-made entrepreneurship by Sara Blakely, style by Tan France, beauty & makeup by Bobbi Brown, the athlete’s mindset by Wayne Gretzky, and so many other interesting classes. It’s available as a year-long subscription, and you get access to all their classes during that time.
As one of my summer bucket list ideas, I thought it would be fun to give MasterClass a try. I was looking for something fun and different to mix into this summer… a chance to learn something new and interesting – but that was also easy to digest… because… well… it’s summer. 😉
It’s now been about a month that I’ve been using MasterClass and I just wrapped up my first class… and I’m happy to say, I’m really glad I finally tried it!
If you’re looking for an interesting way to learn more about almost any given topic, considering giving MasterClass as a unique gift, or just curious about giving it a try, here’s what I’ve found so far:
FAVORITE FEATURES:
- Such a variety of classes! I easily found 15+ classes I know I’d really love to take… and I didn’t even review the entire catalog of classes, plus they will be adding more throughout the year …
- All classes are broken down into short “lessons” which average about 10 minutes each. This is super helpful since I can usually find 10-15 minutes to watch a quick lesson or two. Because classes are approximately 2-5 hours total, breaking each class into these (roughly) 20 lessons is key (at least for me) to actually completing a class.
- Videos are to-the-point & engaging to watch. As you watch a lesson, along the bottom of the screen you can see the sub-topics being discussed in that short video. Sometimes it’s easy to get distracted by what’s going on around you, so this is a nice feature. Also, at least with the videos I’ve watched so far, they are focused and substantive all while being engaging.
- Watch almost anywhere – I tend to watch on my laptop, but I’ve also watched some lessons on my phone via the app, which works seamlessly. Glad they have multiple options for watching.
Helpful TIPS:
MasterClass has so much interesting content … so much so that it can be easy to get overwhelmed and not even start. Plus, like everyone else, there are a million other things competing for my attention when I have some downtime (i.e. just about every app on my phone, plus everything else that comes with summertime…) Here are a few things that have helped me to actually sit down and complete a MasterClass:
- Set aside 10-15 minutes most days to watch a mini-lesson – This is probably one of the most helpful things I’ve done to help me to finish my first class. Since I know that around lunchtime/when my son is napping, I tend to have at least 30 minutes to myself – I use part of this time to watch a short lesson on most days (plus I add a reminder in my planner to prompt me too… because I need all.the.reminders.) If you’re thinking about buying MasterClass, I think it’s helpful to think through what times might work for you to watch – whether it’s a lesson per day after dinner, or maybe a few each weekend… whatever time works best for you.
- Set a monthly number of classes you want to take – I set a loose “goal” of watching 1 MasterClass per month because that feels do-able & realistic since it leaves enough time for everything else I want to do over the summer. Plus, since I hate wasting money, this just makes me feel like I’m getting my money’s worth. 😉
And now for some details about the first class I took…
DAVID BALDACCI’s masterCLASS: Mystery & Thriller Writing
I knew I definitely wanted to watch at least a few writing classes on MasterClass – and there were so many enticing options that caught my eye. After browsing a few minutes of different writing classes, the short clip I watched from David Baldacci’s class really hooked me.
I’m so glad this was the first class I decided to take – Baldacci has a way of speaking that’s really engaging yet conversational, while simultaneously packing in lots of useful information. I really enjoyed his class – not only the content he shared, but his delivery as well.
And to clarify, I’m not considering writing a thriller – I took the class because the snippets I watched were so interesting that I knew I’d likely learn (general) writing tips from his extensive experience regardless of his primary genre. It was a great call… I definitely learned so many new ideas that are helpful, and it was enjoyable to watch!
I enjoyed the entire course, and two of my favorite lessons were Writing Process and Life as a Writer.
If you’re interested in gaining some practical tips on writing amidst engaging instruction, I highly recommend Baldacci’s course!
I hope this short review of my first MasterClass was helpful to anyone considering trying it or gifting it.
Now that I’ve finished my first class, I’m glad I made the purchase. It’s been fun learning new & interesting ideas… all from the comfort of my couch. 😉
Hope you enjoy it if you decide to try it!
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